By Blue Bronc, a Trail Mix Contributor
From the first time man (or woman) tried to go farther than his arms and legs could go, and found some reeds or a log or something that floated on water it was time for blessing of the fleet. Nowadays it is for recreational purposes and for commercial fisherman (neutral term) to not sink or to find fair havens or better shrimp, fish or crabs.
Blessing of the fleet may seem weird for those who are not religious, but it is not — if you believe there be a god or goddess. One of the better parts of the blessing of the fleet is it won’t hurt, and it might even be good. And, it is an excuse for those so inclined, it starts the opening of the beer, wine and hard stuff before noon.
A week after the floater lost his fleet, CVN-70, it seems it is still not off the coast of crazy and starved N. Korea. When I was in the military Korea was a 13 month combat zone. Later it changed, but right now I am guessing some are looking at making it a short tour combat zone tour again.
Did you notice how fast the senile old man dropped attacking Korea? Did you notice how fast he has dropped all sorts of things? Yeah. He writes an idiotic tweet and drops it a day or so later. His short term memory seems to be really short. There seems to be only a couple channels of long term memory too.
It is important for the country to know that this federal government shuts down April 28 midnight unless a couple of R’s change their minds.
More Posts by Blue Bronc
If someone is perceived to be mentally ill, senile, etc, is it acceptable to make fun or otherwise verbally degrade them? This is a question in general, applying to anyone public or private. Social herd mentality vs individual humanity.
bb, could your thread (and thank you btw for it) title also be “blessing of the fleet of mind” or “bless his little (non-existent) heart”? altho some of those rash off-the-cuff tweet threats of his which he abruptly changes his mind on the next day seem too conveniently coincidental in timing to whatever skullduggery of collusion with russia is about to be announced.
granny, that treatise on the poll was thought provoking. I agree with eprof, it is worthy of being a thread topic and a sidebar reference for us all.
craig, what do you mean that the 2016 dems “never stood for anything positive or forward looking”? just the opposite. pages and pages of white papers, proposals, aspirations, speeches were churned out. …prime examples: the plans to save the coal miners, universal healthcare, erasing student debt etc…. too many, too much and too complicated for the sound bite culture we live in now.
with climate change and over fishing, more than blessings will be needed to bring back the fish. If Mother Nature meets trump in a dark alley? Maybe she will do us all a favor and blow him away!
I read with interest the many comments on the last thread regarding dem’s path forward. Can they do so leaderless? I believe they already are. A few weeks back, the citizens of Las Cruces forced pearce to a live town hall. The dems sent an email and it was a two-pronged approach to the town hall. One message was for those outside the event….bring your own signs and their will be a tent for shelter and water. For those going inside, a list of pearce’s stances on issue were provided. NO script, no organization beyond that. 500 people showed-up . pearce told humans like me that at my age (63) just need to ‘tough it out’ regarding health care coverage. He is a dick and I will not submit.
dems won the popular vote, they know how to lead. repugs won the electoral college, they know how to win, but not lead.
The townhall.
Published on Apr 27, 2017
They were once exiles and refugees and deportees with nowhere to turn
Blue, what about that bizarre ritual when they cross the international dateline? Maybe that’s what the Vinson is up to.
and furthermore, craig, yesterday you complained that dems “Whine, piss and moan” and ignore white voters (all those white men you mean) suffering from job loss, respect and such. whining, pissing and moaning is in the eye of the beholder and the sufferer.
according to bureau of labor statistics unemployment figures for 2016 here’s how bad relatively speaking those poor guys suffered in comparison to others:
rate of unemployment for males 16 and over: white males – 4.8, black males – 9.8, asian males – 3.6, hispanic males 5.9
and 2016 unemployment rates for: white women 4.3, black women 8.5, Asian women 4.1, hispanic women 6.3
yes, dems should connect with and try to motivate every type of voter and not take anyone for granted, but how fair is it to only sympathize/empathize with the more privileged group over everyone else?
Jamie, looks like I might have to change my derby win selection according to courier journal story yesterday:
Louisiana Derby winner Girvin has a quarter crack in his right front hoof and is being treated at the Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine And Rehabilitation Center in Lexington, Kentucky, the Daily Racing Form reported Thursday.
It’s the latest news in what has become a week-long saga involving Girvin, who ranks No. 1 with 150 points on the Kentucky Derby points list. Trainer Joe Sharp told the DRF he still plans to enter Girvin in the May 6 Derby at Churchill Downs.
not yet though.
too bad Peewee Reese isn’t running in the derby
Patd, all I’m saying is Dems aren’t going to win back majorities, as in next year’s midterms, pretending they don’t need the white vote — and not just men, they lost white women last year.
This week I dumped $650 into our SC Democratic Party, that’s the one that Craig really despises; but, its the only party that we have. Despite our Gerrymandered districting, I think we have a fighting chance of turning the seat that was vacated by one of Trump’s key appointees.
I’ve gone to a number of the SCDP meetings. The racial mix at them, as well as of the leadership, strikes me as being representative of our population. I have the belief that potential voters are struck by apathy brought on by you name it. We’re going to try to fix it.
All I’m saying is if everyone who wanted to vote could -it wouldn’t be a problem
why not talk abut gooper violations of voter’s rights.
You can’t appeal to voters who don’t want to hear about equal rights.
good for you, Flatus (I had no problem with the whole state party, just its duplicitous chairman at the time)
BB, God bless the Fleet indeed, may it be so. Down close to where I lived in Florida it was a big deal in the Greek fishing village of Tarpon Springs where the orthodox priests did their duty over every vessel and her crew.
the townhall meetings are going well the could turn them into hearings
BB, thanks for the post. While this doesn’t relate at all to PG and the Ship of State he seems to be “guiding” toward the shoals, there are too many memorials for those who cast off the lines and head out to sea. One of my dear friends from Outward Bound is on one of those memorials in Rash Field in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, that memorializes the Pride of Baltimore’s lost captain and crew members. My friend was Vincent Lazarro, 27, (affectionately known as Vinny Gumbach) who was serving on the Pride as Engineer when it sank in a squall in 1986. Surviving crew members said he died when he dove down to try and rescue other crew caught below decks and in the rigging. Before OB he was a fisherman out of Gloucester, MA who survived two sinkings before taking a respite from commercial fishing by sailing little boats full of kids up and down the coast of Maine. I hesitate to call that third sinking a charm. He was a wonderful guy – funny as hell and the best sailor I ever knew.
Feel like I won the meat lottery today, my Safeway had decent-looking NY Strips: 5 one pounders for $25
Is it me or have food prices risen quite bit
DEMOCRAT Jeff Merkley of Oregon has a bill to end our dependence on fossil fuels
but what the heck it’s Democrats so nothing good will happen.
BB: Very nice post and I love the wrap around to our faux President LOL! I think whether folks are believers or not the blessing of the fleet is one of those “what the hell, it can’t hurt” things. It’s meaningful for blessing the lives of those at sea in war or peace and for civilian fleets it has the added bonus of covering good fishing which is also for life. Fishermen and their boats provide food for those near & dear and/or provide a living by selling their catch which would also provide for those near and dear and food for the rest of us. As I read your post I kept thinking about baseball. At least the fleet thing makes sense but, baseball? I watch a lot of baseball and one thing that drives me crazy is watching almost every pitcher, when he gets into a game, make a big show of standing solemnly, head bowed, hat in hand praying that he has a good game (presumably) I always think “do you really think God has no more pressing problems than your baseball game?” I don’t remember them doing that in the old days but it happens all the time now. As for our
CommanderFool In Chief, he makes the most stoic people I know cringe. There was a recent psychiatric conference where many psychiatrists in attendance rated trump dangerously mentally ill. Impeachment, or the 25th amendment option, can’t come too soon. I hope his boats stay lost!Pat: Thanks for vote of confidence, I don’t think our host thought much of it :/
Craig: Where do I begin?? I think it’s unfortunate that you missed the point of yesterday’s comment regarding the survey. In short, and in the simplest terms possible, I don’t think much of ANY survey or poll. Some are
betterless faulty than others, but they all have too many biases and flaws to be taken seriously. To try to place that in the context of sour grapes and “this is how we got here” says more about you than either me or the survey. AA/Alanon/Adult Children of Alcoholics groups often use the term “Let Go and Let God”. I think you need to do that or find some other way to stop dwelling of your perceived injury by and your grievance against the Democratic party. If you truly believe they need new everything then go sign up to run for something and stop whining about it and relating everything you see as justification or evidence that the democrats somehow failed you and are responsible for all our woes now! We may be going to war soon because we have a maniac in the White House. At this point does it really matter how he got there? I’m more concerned with how do we get rid of him?People’s Climate March is tomorrow – it would be a good time to discuss Democrat initiatives to stave off the disaster Pussy Grabber
is speeding up.
The most unpopular thing Pussy Grabber is doing is attacking the environment
Now that we’re talking about the Fleet, I would be much happier if we had one of our ancient battleships accompanying Vinson. Having New Jersey or Wisconsin with her would not only add tremendous conventional firepower along a coast that New Jersey knows well, it would also contribute to the air defense of the task force.
Yes, I know these vessels are museum pieces; so am I—so what
granny, it’s not personal, I just want Dems to stop losing
Craig
Take your pick: The prices have gone up or the packages have gotten smaller. One way or another the manufacturers are covering their costs for skyrocketing meat and corn prices.
Dems simply cannot say one thing before black Americans then go across the street and present a different message, even by nuance, to white Americans. They must present the same totally-from-the heart-message to each voter.
was it Gordon Lightfoot who sang “feel like I’m winning when I’m losing again” — could be an anthem for Dem delusion these past couple election cycles. And next year, especially the Senate, could be another disaster without a helluva course correction.
BB your great post reminded me of a very old poem I wrote as a tribute to all the beach communities of California from south to north. Had to go and check to see if the Blessing of the Fleet still happened in Bodega Bay which it does.
flatus and bb, seems odd what adm harris said yesterday u.s. *has no capable defense against the thousands of artillery pieces North Korea has assembled near the Demilitarized Zone …..“We do not have those kinds of weapons that can counter those rockets once they’re launched”*
with all the heavy duty, high tech we have, we can’t defend against the relatively old fashioned weapons?
*context of the above comes from this excerpt from cbsnews: “U.S. admiral says North Korea crisis is at worst point he’s ever seen”
In a show of military might, the U.S. has sent a massive amount of American weaponry to the region. A group of American war ships led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is in striking range of North Korea “if the president were to call on it,” Harris told the committee. A U.S. missile defense system called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense is being installed in South Korea.
Harris said he has adequate forces to “fight tonight” against North Korea if that were to become necessary. But the admiral also said he lacks all the attack submarines he needs and has no capable defense against the thousands of artillery pieces North Korea has assembled near the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. There are about 28,500 U.S. military personnel serving in South Korea.
“We do not have those kinds of weapons that can counter those rockets once they’re launched,” Harris said in response to a question from McCain.
Apparently some think the only wy for Dems to win is to be goopers sort of spikes the idea that being progressive is the way to go
so the economy is Pussy’s thing….
how come the growth rate is the slowest in three years….must be Obama’s fault
Pat, you counter artillery with artillery or aerial attack. DPRK has artillery and SAMS and short and medium range missiles out the wazoo; we don’t. Our strength there is a pittance of what it was 40-years ago. And, dwellings have been allowed to encroach in danger zones where they have no business being.
I don’t know the status of our very dense mine fields on our side of the DMZ–they weren’t included in the anti-mine treaty. Artillery could be used to pre-detonate those mines. Also the DPRK has many _large_ tunnels under the DMZ capable of moving large formations of soldiers and their equipment and supplies. Locations of some of these tunnels are known, others are not.
We used to have many, many nuclear weapons in the hands of troops along the DMZ; they are gone. Also our Nike Hercules sams could be fitted with nukes for use against ground targets or whatever. We would have used the weapons in our arsenal should conditions have warranted; fortunately they kept a very tenuous peace.
IMO, if China is unable to bring sense to Kim, we will end-up in a nuclear war very, very quickly should Kim escalate things. There is no alternative. Korea along with Australia, have been our most stalwart allies in East Asia. We are family. And I have a daughter, grandchildren, and great grandchildren there.
http://www.bbfishfest.org/events/blessing-of-the-fleet/ Bodega Bay blessing of the local boats and I’m pretty sure there is blessing of the fleet during Fleet Week in SF (off the GG bridge as the ships come in)
BB
Good job
…you counter artillery with artillery or aerial attack. DPRK has artillery and SAMS and short and medium range missiles out the wazoo; we don’t. Our strength there is a pittance of what it was 40-years ago.
flatus, why did we pull out the artillery we had when they continued to keep it on the other side? doesn’t make sense. neither does allowing encroachment of civilian residences and unfriendly tunneling.
Chicago trib:
With just hours to spare, Congress easily approved a short-term spending bill Friday that would prevent a partial federal shutdown over the weekend. But on President Donald Trump’s 99th day in office, lawmakers were leaving until next week without completing two other measures he’s coveted: A Republican health care overhaul and a budget financing government for the entire year.
The Senate sent the temporary spending measure to Trump by voice vote after the House approved it by a lopsided 382-30 vote. The bill keeps the government functioning through next Friday, which leaders hope will give bipartisan bargainers enough time to finish a $1 trillion package financing government through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.
But in a disappointment for the White House, Trump was destined to serve his 100th day in office — Saturday — without being able to claim victories on health care and a yearlong budget.
poor wittle Donnie. he gonna hold his breath til he’s blue, eat worms and blow up north & south korea just to show those meanies in critterville
It’s not really that we don’t have the means to stop noKor from shelling us, it’s that we don’t have the means to stop them from shelling Seoul, a metropolitan area of 25 M!LL!ON targeted souls !
This is why could have used the wave bomb that congress refused to fund in the 80s. It could kill most of those massed noKorean artilleryman in the first counterstrike. (Leaving all the noKorean artillery and ammo for the South Koreans to turn around and aim in the direction of approaching commie Chinese divisions !)
Ah, wargaming is cool, as long as no one actually gets hurt.
China has always tried to play us on North Korea, distract us from their own massive military buildup, trade war and South China Sea aggression. Working better than ever for them these days.
politico:
New chief named for Justice Department unit probing Trump-Russia ties
A veteran federal prosecutor from Northern Virginia has been tapped to temporarily oversee the Justice Department division handling the ongoing probe into Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election.
Dana Boente’s new assignment as Justice’s acting attorney general for national security comes fast on the heels of his most recent high-profile task: serving as the acting deputy attorney general. Rod Rosenstein was sworn in as Justice’s No. 2 official on Wednesday, freeing Boente of those responsibilities.
[….]
Boente will continue to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, a post to which he was confirmed under President Barack Obama in 2015. The office has jurisdiction over the Pentagon, the CIA and other security agencies in Northern Virginia, so it often handles high-profileespionage, leak and terrorism cases — the same kinds of cases overseen by Justice’s National Security Division.
Although well-known and respected in prosecutorial circles, Boente toiled in relative obscurity until late January, when he was abruptly named acting attorney general after Trump fired Obama appointee and deputy attorney general Sally Yates for refusing to defend Trump’s first travel ban executive order in court.
In a statement at the time, the White House said Yates’ stance “betrayed” the Justice Department. Boente, who has worked for the Justice Department since 1984, said he would defend the order.
The last confirmed head of the National Security Division, John Carlin, resigned last October. He was replaced on an acting basis by his deputy, Mary McCord. McCord announced her resignation earlier this month.
I am exhausted trying to make my points. Sincerely hope everyone here is correct and I am wrong, and that past is not prologue.
“… why did we pull out the artillery we had …”
Pat, in the post-Vietnam climate, everything military was fair game whether it made tactical sense or not. At the time, we had two combat divisions in a trip-wire positioning north of Seoul. I’m not positive, but I think it’s likely that one of those divisions was demobilized and returned to the States during the Carter years. A component of an infantry division is DivArty, a brigade of artillery pieces and their supporting troops and the ordnance chain that follows them all the way to the States. The gap in the front line was undoubtedly filled by ROK Army troops, but they didn’t provide the same trip-wire function intending that we would immediately react should the DPRK crossed the DMZ.
We did not remove just the tactical nukes in the hands of our troops intended to break the back of any DPRK invasion. We also removed the strategic weapons aimed at China. That was a more reasoned decision than the removal of the tactical weapons as the imbalance of troop and equipment strength between North and South was so great. In effect, the DPRK had a single industry–armaments for its own use and for export. Did the Chinese have a nuke in 1961? I’m sure of it as I measured fallout from an above ground explosion in December of that year while stationed at Wonju.
Why should China worry? The Chinese people have, over the centuries, tried to colonize and exploit the Korean people. There is no love lost for them in either the North or the South. Specifically, the Chinese leadership undoubtedly looks at the chart showing the space between Pyongyang and Beijing. 500-miles, not 1000–just 500. What will that crazy Kim kid do if we really piss him off?
It’s 0537 on the Peninsula. Where are our nukes?
thanks, flatus
Poobah, FWIW, I get your points and think there’s a ton of validity to them. Finding the right message/messenger is where teh rub is.
pogo, finding the right massage is where the rub is 🙂
🙂
Among a bazillion other things of bill clinton’s that I hated was his dealing with the noKoreans. Then babybush fiddled around with them some more. Then babybush paralyzed our trade, treasury, foreign and military policies by jumping eyebrow deep into Iraq Fiasco II. By the time Obama became the president, king jung il had the bomb.
Okay. I’ve pointed the middle finger at our villains and theirs. Now, what do we do ???
Dear Craig,
Please, write out a short and compelling pitch or three to might bring white ears and eyes back to the Dems. Let us kick the topic(s) around. Then fix it(them), if it(they) need(s) tweeking. We can pitch the results to all the young potential Dem candidates in all the purple counties of all the purple states.
Waddya think ? This would not be an exam, so Dave could pitch in.
Yours in Ted Sorenson,
Xrepublican, RYDD (Rabidly Yella Dog Dem)
Frankly I’m fed up with being called a racist and/or misogynist for suggesting how progressives could actually win elections instead of talking to themselves, so I’ll just shut up now and hope for the best. I’ve got $5 steaks to grill.
Craig, if I am one who has offended, I apologize; I’ve been known to to see rite in my own lite.
Flatus
patd – there is also the Fleet tube up the kazoo.
Polls do matter and can be indicative of electoral races. I knew a month before the 2012 election what the results would be – by studying the polls. The problem is the level of self “entitlement” within the Democratic party. They pushed and pushed and ran Hillary in 2016 because she was the one that was “entitled” to the Presidency. Thinking you’re entitled can get you out of touch with reality really quick. Again – problems with the Democratic establishment (Wassermann-Schultz) at the helm. Big problem! Cost us the election. Asleep at the switch.
While I respect Biden’s decision not to run, I really doubt it was completely about losing Beau – but rather Hillary’s entitlement. Biden would have kicked Trumps ass all over the rust belt. He could have served the memory of his dead son by becoming the leader of the free world. This was about loyalty and “who is next in line”. That used to be the Republicans game. Would Biden have done a better job than Trump? Yup. Would he have done a better job than Hillary? Yup.
We’ve got some great stock in the barn ready or almost ready to go. Chris Van Hollin? Kamala Harris? Jesus – these folks could really be statesmen. The Democrats need to stop thinking about “whose next at bat” and work on a strategy to win the frigging game. We’re about to be screwed up the financial “youknowwhat” by these right wing bible thumping capitalists running our government. Ready for a 25 Trillion deficit? How a bout 12% interest rates? When I got married interest rates were 12% – try buying a house today with those interest rates (screwed by Ronald Raygun back then).
The Democrats need to get their shit together – they need to work the edges and the minorities – and the average white guy who is getting absolutely nothing from this shit-show we have in charge now. My parents are avid Trump supports – and they couldn’t care less about their financial situation or taxes. Their only concern, and I heard this the other day, is “why the hell are there still so many Mexicans here”. Can we please move on?
GEEEEEEZ!
I have crossed the international date-line in a boat and it was not all it’s cracked up to be……
CC…….good that chu got opinions……..I got opinions too……a difference is, that you got an actual platform and I might as well be out in the front yard with a Rudy Valee megaphone……….not that it matters.
The neighbors complained and I had to hide my megaphone behind the Browning .12 in the closet. Life is tedious these days………
I’m in SC……..the neighbors all said, “Oh, it’s behind a shotgun? Well, that’s ok, then…….”
You know…….if the government “came for my shotgun” I’d treat it like so many other things of mine that the government took and I’d say, well, hey, fellers, takin’ this too? Ok. Sorry if I inconvenienced you in any way……
I’ve always seen weaponry as a sort of hindrance……..in maybe most situations, maybe not, but in my situation.i see them as pretty much just in the way……..still…..it gives a kind of scratchy feeling knowing they’re there and have never not been………
So, if the government came to take them, would I fight? Not likely.
id ask em which direction they wanted my flag to face…….then I’d check my options.
The government came and took my country by storm. They took the plantation our old Westphalian ancestor built his own self with the help of a few slaves and whatnot down in Merriwether county Georgia.
So what……i mean, I’ve read War and Peace……blah blah blah…..government comes, government takes…….you live here, dontcha?
.then there was this draft thing which just sucked so many young men into a vortex of firepower, blood, and mud…….
then…..it was the government come……..and they took……..Us.
but if they want it……..they (us) will take it.
I figure…….if the government wants it, the government is fuckin welcome to it………
I’ll think……Jeez, I wonder if they’re gonna take my flat rocks from Asheville and my cobblestones from downtown……..Christ……those guys are invidious.
Jim died. sigh
North Korea fires another ballistic missile, the 75th of Kim Jong Un’s tenure – The Washington Post
https://apple.news/AXxEoFo8rRauW54FM5lbMEw
Pyongyang has projectile dysfunction.
A Progressive Third Party Just Picked Up Its Third Ever Seat In A State Legislature – HuffPost
https://apple.news/AKoh6ZuZZQUCpgO8ulcqS0A
“Unlike the Green Party or other independent left-leaning parties, the WFP frequently functions as a progressive faction of the Democratic Party in the handful of states where it has a large presence.”
“The Working Families Party win reflects a combination of progressive frustration with Malloy’s turn toward more fiscally conservative policies and the revival of the Democratic Party’s left wing nationally in the wake of the contentious primary between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)…”
Nort Korea’s broke ass……..what’re they gonna do….fart in our general direction?
Fetchez la boche!
Malloy was my first choice. Then, first thing out of the box, he turned big bank friendly. I was a Malloy guy for less than a week.
Well Sturgeon, Im not sure I understand about half the shit you’re talking about. But I do believe that if North Korea goes crazy they’ll fire most of their 13,00 artillery / missiles at Seoul South Korea. Seoul is a bout 35 miles from the DMZ border where the North Koreans have a but-load of artillery pointed. That’ll kill what, about 30 people? Not! The whole world will go batshit!
That’s definitely not a “fart” in our direction – you must think we should be complete isolationists. Government coming for my shotgun? Bullshit! They’re coming for our money, healthcare and investments. They don’t give a crap about my AR15 and 50 round banana clip. They want my money – and yours.
This isn’t about catapulting a cow over a castle wall – it’s about taking over an economy and putting the top 1/2 of 1 percent in charge of everything. You want that?
Let Sturgeone be Sturgeone. It’s a beautiful thing.
( Plus he said the secret words, or as Groucho used to say, woids: Rudy Vallee. George Fenneman will be back shortly to let us know what he won. )
Hurray for Captain Spaulding!
I miss the Kerouac-like-stream-of-never-ending-conciousness-ramblings-brilliance of CBob. I plant Butterfly Gardens in his honor.
Dvitale……understanding my gibberish is not something even I would attempt, but I don’t think North Korea is gonna do a damn thing.
But I could be wrong.
Yes, I don’t believe the government wants my shotgun…..but if they DID want it, they would just come and take it….just like they will take our money, healthcare, and investments if the country keeps winding up with leadershippers who think that’s what this country needs.